Construction of baseball gloves



July 23, 1963 H. B. LATINA CONSTRUCTION OF BASEBALL GLOVES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 1, 1961 July 23, 1963 H. B. LATINA 3,098,234

CONSTRUCTION OF BASEBALL GLOVES Filed May 1, 196-1 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 l/YVE'IVI'Q)?! HARRY B. LAT/M4 By M July 23, 1963 H. B. LATINA 3,098,234

CONSTRUCTION OF BASEBALL GLOVES Filed May 1, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 6%??? 5. [ATM/6 3,098,234 CONSTRUCTION OF BASEBALL GLQVEF; Harry B. Latina, East St. Louis, 135., assignor to A. G. Spalding & Bros, Inc, Chicopee, Mass, a corporation of Delaware Filed May 1, 1961, Ser. No. 166,923 3 Claims. (Ci. 2-19) This invention relates to improvements in baseball gloves and is particularly directed to improvements in the construction of a glove.

The construction of gloves according to current practice generally provides for a one-piece or unitary palm ply and heel ply for the ball receiving pocket, with the palm ply secured to the body of the glove so as to anchor the same against shifting which results in objectionable wrinkles and bulges in the ball receiving pocket. Up to now there has been no real improvement in the objectionable bulges and wrinkles which form in the ball receiving pocket because of the character of construction adopted by manufacturers. Also, the practice of cutting the palm and heel plies from one piece of hide makes it difficult to use the hide economically, as one large piece without blemishes or defects is hard to find. In the present improvement the palm and heel portions are cut as separate pieces and can be taken from the hide in a more economical manner with more effective utilization of the hide.

Therefore, it is an important object of the present invention to provide a baseball glove construction which will result in more economical utilization of hides and improve the shape of the ball receiving pocket so as to reduce or eliminate the foregoing objections.

It is also an important object of the present invention to construct a glove in a simple and unique manner by framing the palm pocket with a heel portion adapted to shape and retain the ball receiving pocket.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a baseball glove construction of the foregoing character in which the construction of the heel portion will not interfere with or obstruct the ball receiving pocket, or make it dilficult for a ball to be quickly extracted from the pocket.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear in the following disclosure of a preferred construction which includes a glove body having a face ply, a back ply and lining plies formed and arranged as shown in the accompanying drawings, whereby the improvement may be incorporated in the palm ply by forming the latter ply in two parts so that a unique and improved heel may be incorporated which will accomplish the foregoing stated objects and provide the advantages which will be described or will appear in the following disclosure. The improvement herein may also be practiced in a glove having a unitary palm and heel ply by forming a fold or lap in the heel line, but the two-part arrangement provided a better fit.

The glove construction herein preferred is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a baseball glove illustrating the palm and heel construction thereof;

FIG. 2. is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken at line 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the palm and heel plies shown in flat pattern layout;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary face view of a glove showing a modified form which the invention may have;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken at line 5-5 in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a view of the palm ply in flat pattern layout,

3,$8,234 Patented July 23, 1963 the same being utilized in connection with the heel portion shown in FIG. 3.

In the following description it will appear that the glove body has a face side composed of at least one ply of leather, a back side also composed of at least one ply of leather, and lining means for the face side. Therefore, the glove body may be thought of as having face and back sides, and the face side may be thought of as having palm and heel portions from which the thumb and finger extensions project. Also gloves usually have a lining ply carried behind the palm and heel portions, and in most constructions the margins of the face and back sides and of the lining are bound together by sewing or lacing methods.

First referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the improved baseball glove is shown generally at 10 and comprises a body formed with a palm portion 11 and a connected heel portion 12, the palm portion and heel portion cooperating to form a thumb extension 14 and finger extensions 15, 16, 17 and 18. The thumb and first finger extensions 14 and 15, respectively, are spaced apart so that a backstop extension 19 may be disposed therein to complete the ball receiving pocket formation. As may be seen fragmentarily in FIG. 1, the glove body is provided with leather material forming the back side 20 for each of the finger extensions and the thumb extension. The palm and heel portions 11 and 1 2 of the face side are arranged in cooperation with a lining ply 21 as may be seen in FIG. 2. The heel ply portion 12 and the cooperating lining ply 21 form an enclosure for a suitable padding 22, the padding extending across the heel portion of the glove body and upwardly at each end into the thumb extension 14 and the little finger extension 18. This construction of the padded heel and extension portions which form the thumb and little finger of the glove body provides a cradle which is made relatively firm by means of the padding and gives form and shape to the ball receiving pocket in the palm portion 11. The manner of joining the palm portion 11 and heel portion 12 results in the formation of a ball receiving pocket which is substantially free of bulges, wrinkles, and the tendency for the palm ply to gather and crease, especially near the base area of the several finger extensions 15, 16 and 17.

Referring in greater particularity to FIGS. 2 and 3, it may be seen that the palm portion 11 when viewed in flat pattern is provided with the backstop extension 19 and the several finger extensions 15, 16 and 17. In addition, the palm has a heel margin 23 which curves across the heel of the glove from a tab 24 near the finger extension 17 to a tab 25 near the backstop extension 19. The margin 23 is further provided with projections 26 which have apertures 27 therein. Other apertures generally shown at 28 in the tab 25 (as well as in tab 24) are provided in marginal portions of the palm so as to afford means to bind together the plies for the face and back sides of the glove as is shown generally in FIG. 1. The heel 12 in flat pattern is of arcuate form and extends from the thumb extension 14 to the little finger extension 18. Between these opposite extensions an inner margin 29- is provided with a series of cuts 30 which extend generally perpendicularly inwardly from the margin 29 so that the margin is divided into a number of separate tabs one being shown at 31 for example. These tabs 31 are adapted to be turned under as is shown at the fold F in FIG. 2, and after being turned under are connected to the margin 26 of the palm portion 11 and a suitable lacing 3-2 is laced through the several apertures 31 of the tabs 31 and through the apertures 27 of the palm projections 2-6, as well as certain of the apertures 28. As may be appreciated the apertures 31 are arranged in two lines or series which register when the tabs 31 are folded sperms 1- in under, whereby the lacing 32 is able to catch the fold in a secure manner as well as catch the apertures 27 in projections 26. The inwardly directed cuts 30 when folded under cause the fold line F to lie smoothly throughout the curvature of the fold line as is illustrated in FIG. 1. The lacing 32 (FIG. 2) extends through suitable apertures in the lining ply 21 and secures the fold F in a desired compact form so that it will have a minimum of opportunity to pucker during the use of the glove. The several projections 26 extend underneath the fold F and retain the palm ply portion 11 pulled down and under the fold P so that the bulging and lumpy appearance of the ball receiving pocket is taken out and the ply is caused to retain its pocket formation, assisted by the cradle effect produced by the raised seam formed along the fold F at the heel portion 12, together with the thumb extension 14 and the little finger extension 1-8.

In referring to FIGS. 4-6, inclusive, portions of the glove 10 will be like those set forth in the description of FIGS. .13, therefore similar reference numerals will be applied wherever similar parts are referred to. In the views of FIGS. 4 and the raised seam or fold F between the heel portion 12 and the palm portion 11 is formed by turning under the tabs 31 of the heel margin 29, as described for FIGS. 2. and 3, and connecting the tabs to the curved marginal portion 13 of the palm 11. The marginal portion 13 is shown in fiat plane in FIG. 6, and this margin is provided with a series of apertures 33 so that the lacing 32 may be suitably placed in position as is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The margin 29 of the heel 12 and margin 13 of the palm 11 may be sewed together at the seam line S illustrated in FIG. 5, thereby additionally securing the palm and heel portions.

Referring to the portions 24 and 25 (FIG. 3) which are at the respective ends of the margin 23, it can be seen by viewing FIG. .1 that the portion 25 forms a part of the palm ply adjacent the base of the opening or gap 34 between the thumb extension 14 and the backstop extension 19. The portion 25 as is shown in FIG. 1 is stitched along the seam S to the thumb extension 14 of the heel ply 12 so that the fold F continues into the thumb extension above the innermost end of the gap 34. At the little finger extension 18, the portion 24 is worked into the assembly at the crotch 35 where the finger extensions 17 and 13 are interconnected and where the lacing 32 is also located. The portion 24 thereby forms a closure for preventing the development of a gap at the little finger end of the fold F. The palm 11 shown in FIG. 6 is also provided with extension portions 36 and 37 which are provided for the reasons last above described and are similarly secured in the assembly.

Referring to FIG. 1, it is seen that the finger extensions 15, 16, 17 and 18 are interconnected adjacent the ends thereof by lacing means having a loop or bight 38 about the bound margin 39 along one side of the first finger 15, one span 46 of the lacing means being threaded through the face ply of the several finger extensions and another span 41 being threaded through the back ply of these fingers.

An alternate lacing (not shown) is to have the spans 40 and 41 criss-cross between the finger extensions which adds considerable strength to the fingers and also provides pocket forming advantages along the lines of the lacing as shown. The term interlace is intended to include both methods of installing lacing spans 40 and 41. The lacing spans 40 and 41 are secured at the tip of the little finger extension 18 by knotting the ends 42 and 43. Since the lacing spans 40 and 41 have considerable friction engagement in the fingers it becomes possible to adjust either span 40 or 41 to obtain a difference in length between the two, thereby permitting the finger extensions to be shaped to the ball receiving pocket to the extent desired by the player. Thus lacing means arranged in this manner augments the shaping and forming of the i glove pocket and greatly improves the action of the glove in catching balls which may not be directly in the pocket.

It is believed that the foregoing description of certain preferred forms of constructing a baseball glove can now be understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art, and it is apparent that the improvements in the construction and assembly of the palm and heel portions of the glove body provides a greatly improved and form retaining means for the ball receiving pocket, so that the ball receiving pocket is maintained substantially free of bulges and creases and retains a cupped shape which is desirable. It is, of course, understood that changes and modifications may be made in the construction herein set forth and it is intended that such changes and modifications which are of an equivalent character and which function in substantially the same manner are to be included within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a baseball glove comprising a body having a face side and a back side and a heel defining a part of a ball receiving pocket in the face side, and the body having a hand receiving opening in the back side, the improvement of a palm ply in the face side of the body having a margin extending along the heel, a heel ply having a margin extending adjacent said palm ply margin, said palm ply margin being formed with spaced apertures and said heel ply margin being folded and formed with spaced apertures registering through said fold, and lacing means securing said folded heel ply margin to said palm ply margin by being laced through said apertures in both palm and heel plies, said folded heel ply margin defining a step in the ball receiving pocket at the junction of the palm ply and the heel ply.

2. In a baseball glove comprising a body having a face side and a back side and a heel including a body of padding defining a part of ball receiving pocket in the face side, and the body having a hand receiving opening in the back side, the improvement of a multi-ply scam in the body defining a rim for the ball receiving pocket constructed of a palm ply in the face side of the body having a margin reaching to and extending along the heel padding body, a heel ply covering the padding body and having a margin extending adjacent said palm ply margin, said heel piy margin having spaced cuts therein to provide a series of tabs and said tabs being folded back to form a double ply edge on said heel and laid upon said palm ply margin, and means engaging and securing said series of folded tabs and palm ply margin in abutment to fix the same in position along a margin of the ball receiving pocket.

3. In a baseball glove comprising a body having a face side and a back side and a heel defining a marginal part of a ball receiving pocket in the face side, and the body having a hand receiving opening in the back side, the improvement of a palm ply in the face side of the body having a margin extending to and along the heel, a heel ply having a margin extending adjacent said palm ply margin and defining an extremity of the heel part of the ball receiving pocket, said palm ply margin and heel ply margin being arranged in lapped relation to form a rnulti-ply line in the face side defining a raised seam between the heel and ball receiving pocket, and means extending through the lapped margins forming said raised seam to secure the palm and heel plies together and fix said multi-ply line in the face side of the glove body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

3. IN A BASEBALL GLOVE COMPRISING A BODY HAVING A FACE SIDE AND A BACK SIDE AND A HEEL DEFINING A MARGINAL PART OF A BALL RECEIVING POCKET IN THE FACE SIDE, AND THE BODY HAVING A HAND RECEIVING OPENING IN THE BACK SIDE, THE INPROVEMENT OF A PALM PLY IN THE FACE SIDE OF THE BODY HAVING A MARGIN EXTENDING TO AND ALONG THE HEEL, A HEEL PLY HAVING A MARGIN EXTENDING ADJACENT SAID PALM PLY MARGIN AND DEFINING AN EXTREMITY OF THE HEEL PART OF THE BALL RECEIVING POCKET, SAID PALM PLY MARGIN AND HEEL PLY MARGIN BEING ARRANGED IN LAPPED RELATION TO FORM A MULTI-PLY LINE IN THE FACE SIDE DEFINING A RAISED SEAM BETWEEN THE HEEL AND BALL RECEIVING POCKET, AND MEANS EXTENDING THROUGH THE LAPPED MARGINS FORMING SAID RAISED SEAM TO SECURE THE PALM AND HEEL PLIES TOGETHER AND FIX SAID MULTI-PLY LINE IN THE FACE SIDE OF THE GLOVE BODY. 